Fuel-briquet machinery.



R. DEVILLERS. FUEL BRIQUET MAGHINERY. APPLIoATloN FILED AUG. 29, 190s.

Patented May 4, 1909.

wilt/nenne@ J )71 .to the molds of the PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT DEVILLERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FUEL-BRIQUET MACHI'ERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application led August 29, 1908. Serial No. 450,813.

To all lwhom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, ROBERT DEvILLERs, a subject of the King of Belgium, and resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel- Briquet Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in machinery for the manufacture of fuel briquets in which finely divided coal or other fuel is thoroughly mixed with a cementing material and the conglomerate or coal-paste delivered to a molding-press, wherein it is compressed in molds of convenient shape and size; and the object of the invention is to provide means for more eifectually mixing the material and to automatically control its delivery to the molds of the press.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and

' wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of the mechanism embodying the invention and including a mixer and moldingpress and feeding means therebetween for automatically delivering the mixed material press; and Fig. 2 is a ground plan of the same.

Numeral 1 designates the base of a conventional moldingress, having uprights 2, in which are journalbd a pair of shafts 3, carrying molding-cylinders 4, and provided withl suitable gearing to rotate the op osing` lcylinders with their upper surfaces leading toward each other to receive the material to be compressed. Mounted upon the uprights is a feed-chamber 5,. provided with a floor or bottom 6, in whichv are provided openings communicating with the spouts 7, for directing the material between the rotating molding-cylinders. Within the feed-chambers is rotatably mounted an agitator 8, formed with cross arms,4 and fixed upon the lower end of a vertical shaft 9, mounted in bearing 10 and rotated by the bevel gear 11 and inion 12, the latter being fixed upon the orizontal shaft 13,` which is mounted in bearings 14 and provided with the drivingpulley 15, the bearings 10 and 14 being supported upon the top of the feed-chamber by fthe integrally-formed arms 16. Secured u on the shaft 13 is the feed-scroll 17, adapte to rotate within the housing` or trough 1S, upon which latter is mounted the bearing` 19 for additionally supporting the feed-scroll, which is divided thereby in sections on opposite sides thereof. T he trough for the feed-scroll is supported at its deliver-3v end upon the top of the feed-chamber and its opposite end is carried by a bracket 2() formed on the base of the mixer.

21 designates the mixer-base or standard, upon which is mounted the cylindrical mixing-chamber 22, having the floor or bottom 23 and the hood 24, the latter terminating in a vent-pi e 25, of sufficient height to induce a Slight raft therein. Within the mixingcylinder are mounted a series of mixingblades 26, fixed upon a central vertical shaft 27, which is rotatably mounted in an upper bearing 28, formed on` the floor of the mixer, and a lower bearing 29, integral with the mixer-base. A bevel ear 30, flxed upon the shaft 27, and a pimon 31 engaging the bevel gear, imparts motion to the mixershaft 27 by means of the driving-pulley 32, the pinion and driving-pulley being fixed upon the short shaft 33, rotatably mounted in the bearings 34 and 35. Steam-pipes 36 lead at various levels'to the interior of the mixer through the side walls thereof and l supply steam at considerable pressure, which mingles with and sufficiently heats the contained material to melt the cementing ingredients thereof, preferably containing pitch or tar, and insuring complete intermixture with the coal by the action of the rotating mixer-blades 26. The intermixed material falls by gravity to the floor of the mixer and is ,discharged as a pasty mass through the outlet 37, the excess steam escaping through the vent-pipe 25.. Extending through the hood of the mixer 1s a charging-pipe 38, which leads from the elevator 39, or other source of supply, by means of which the raw material may be fed in suitable proportions to the mixing-cylinder.

Exterior-ly of the mixing-cylinder and adjacent the outlet thereof is a swing-valve 40, which is xed upon a-'stem 41, mounted to turn in the side lates 42, formed in connection with the si es of the trough 18. Upon the valve-stem is fixed an arm 43, to the end of which is secured one end of a iiexible band low i secure or chain 44, the opposite end of said chain 5 being assed over a direction-wheel 45 and y d to one end of a double-arm lever 46, th'edirection-Wheel being rotatably mounted u on a stud 47, xedin the bracket .48, which latter' is carried by the body of the mixer. The lever 46 has a downwardly-bent opposite arm ,49, provided with a terminal contact-plate 50, extending into and being adapted to .rise and fall within the feedchamber 5 by its oscillatory movement about its ivotally-supporting stud 51, which is s in the bracket 52, the latter being mounted upon the trough 18.

The dischar e of the mixed materiall through the out et 37 of the mixing-chamber 22 is regulated by the swing-valve 40, which permits the delivery of the required quantity to the feed-scroll 17, which in turn conveys it to the feed-chamber 5, wherein it is mechanically urged through the mold-spouts 7 by the adj acently-dis osed rotating agitatorarms 8 which provi e a continuous supply thereto and serve to move and level the excess mass remaining Within the feed-chamber. The upper surface of this material is automatically held at a substantially uniform level by its engagement with the contact-plate 50, which is elevated by the action of the material if the latter tends to rise in the feed-chamber, which motion is communicated `through the double-arm lever to the chain 44, exerting a pull on the latter which tends to close valve 40 and thereby artially arrest the discharge of the material rom the mixer. By the reversal of the actuating parts, the valve is automaticall7 opened to increase the su ly of materia if its level should tend to fall Within the feed-chamber. An adjustment of the valve with relation to its actuating contact-plate 50 ma be obi tained by varying the connectionength 0f chain 44 at its junction with the lever-arm 46 which adjustment being made to suit the character of the material treated, an automatic and continuous feed for the moldingpress is assured.

The mixing-blades 26 are constructed with cross arms of the same general form as that of the agitator 9 of the feed-chamber, and the lower blade on the mixer-shaft 27 being disposed adjacent the floor of the mixer and o osite the outlet 37 assists by its rotation'tllie eliveryof the material from the mixer when the valve 40. is opened, which valve in connection with the side plates 42 and the adj acent' extension of the mixer-floor 23 forms anexterior chamber in which the material may partially be arrested against the action of the rotating blade. Y

lIt is to be understood that while l illustrate and describe the preferred embodiment tail construction, and arrangement of parts without departin from the essential scope and spirit or sacri cing any of the advantages of the invention.

What l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In fuel-bri uet mechanism, the combination of a nio ding-press, a feed-chamber therefor, a fuel-paste mixer having a valvecontrolled outlet communicating with the feed-chamber, means for agitating the contents of the feed-chamber, and means operated by said movable contents foi` actuating the outlet-valve of the mixer.

2. ln fuel-bri uet mechanism, the combination of a mo ding-press, a feed-cliamber therefor, a fuel-paste mixer havi g a valvecontrolled outlet communicating. with the feed-chamber, agitator-arms rotatable in the feed-chamber for moving the contents thereof, and means operated by said movable contents for actuating the outlet-valve of the mixer.

3. In fuel-bri uet mechanism, the combination of a mo ding-press, a feed-chamber therefor, a fuel-paste mixer having a valvecontrolled outlet communicating ,with the feed-chamber, agitator-arms rotatable in the feed-chamber, a contactlate secured to a pivotal lever-arm and a a ted for `vertical.

-movement within said fee -chamber, and a flexible connection between the le ver-arm and the outlet Valve of the mixer.

4. In fuel-bri uet mechanism, the combination of a mo ding-piess, a feed-chamber therefor, a fuel-paste mixer having a valvecontrolled outlet, a scroll conveyer between the.feed-chamber and the outlet of the mixer, agitator-arms rotatable in the feed-chamber for moving the contents thereof, and means operated by said movable contents for actuating the outlet-valve of the mixer.

5. In fuel-briquet mechanism, the combination of a molding-press, afuel-paste mixer having a valve-controlled outlet, feeding mechanism between the outlet of the mixer and the molding-press including means for agitating the material, and means actuated bythe agitated material for operating the outlet-valve of the mixer to arrest the feed of the material.

6. In fuel-briquet mechanism, the combination with a molding-press, of a fuel-paste mixer having a valve-controlled outlet and provided with rotatable mixer-blades, a charging-pipe leading to the mixer, a ventipe leading from said mixer, steam-pipes eading to the interior of said mixer, feeding mechanism between the outlet of the mixer and the molding-press including means for agitating the material, and means actuated by the a itated material for operating the outlet-va ve of the mixer to arrest the feed 4of the material.

7. In fuel-briquet mechanism including a ,molding-presfsgfgand a fuel-paste mixer prol vided with a valve-controlled discharge-outlet, feeding mechanism leading from the discharge-outlet of the mixer to the moldinglpress and comprising a feed-chamber disposed adjacent said press and havin a feedspout leading thereto, an agitating evice in said feed-chamber, a feed-connection leading from the discharge-outlet of the mixer to the feed-chamber, a movable arm supported adjacent the feed-chamber and having a contact-plate adapted to engage the contents of said chamber, 'and connecting means operated by the movable arm for actuating the controlling-valve of the discharge-outlet of said mixer.

8. In fuel-briquet mechanism including a moldingress and a fuel-paste mixer provided Wit a valve-controlled discharge-outlet, feedin mechanism leading from the discharge-ouet of the mixer to the moldingpress and comprising a feed-chamber disposed adjacent said molding-press, a'feedspout leading from the feed-chamber to the molds of said press, an agitating device in said feed-chamber, a feed-trough leading from the discharge-outlet of the mixer to the feed-chamber, a scroll rotatable in said feedtrough, a movable arm supported adjacent the feed-chamber and having a contactlate adapted to engage thecontents of said c am- 

